Florida regulators said they expect to provide access to a limited strain of non-euphoric marijuana for medical purposes by the end of the year after a Tallahassee judge on Wednesday dismissed the final challenge to the long-awaited rule.

The Florida Department of Health, which developed the rule, is expected to start accepting applications within three weeks from eligible growers for the strain of marijuana that is low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD. Growers could start selling to eligible patients who are put on a state-run “compassionate use registry’’ within months.

“I am one happy legislator,’’ said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, one of the sponsors of the 2014 legislation that attempted to expedite the development and cultivation of the so-called “Charlotte's Web’’ strain of low-THC marijuana to help people suffering from epileptic seizures, cancer and other ailments.

Legislators had intended for the medical strain of cannabis to be available to Floridians by January of this year but regulators had their first rule rejected, and then faced a series of legal challenges. On Wednesday, they offered patients new hope.

“Today's ruling allows the department to move forward with implementing the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, approved by the legislature in 2014,'' the Department of Health said in a statement. "The department remains committed to ensuring safe and efficient access to this product for children with refractory epilepsy and patients with advanced cancer. We are moving swiftly to facilitate access to the product before the end of the year.”

The ruling by Administrative Law Judge W. David Watkins came after two days of testimony and more than a year after the Legislature had passed the law. The rule challenge was brought by Baywood Nurseries of Apopka whose owners, Raymond Hogshead and Heather Zabinofsky, alleged that the rule proposed by the state were unfair and vague.

Watkins is the same judge who tossed out DOH’s first attempt at a rule last year, prompting the agency’s Office of Compassionate Use to hold a rulemaking workshop involving a handpicked panel of advisors from various parts of the industry.

Under the law, nurseries that have been in business for at least 30 years in Florida and grow a minimum of 400,000 plants are eligible to apply for one of five licenses to grow and distribute marijuana within the state. About 100 nurseries meet the criteria, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture.

Under the proposed rule, dispensing organizations would have to prove that they would be able to stay in business for at least two years and be able to cover not only the bond but what could be expensive start-up costs.

StashLogix – Cannabis Storage And Security Cases

Every responsible marijuana user does everything that they can to keep marijuana away from children. If there’s one thing that marijuana supporters and opponents can agree on, it’s that children should not have access to recreational marijuana at all, and should only use medical marijuana when it’s absolutely appropriate. People can stash their marijuana in places that they think that it’s hidden, but kids are crafty. I was a kid once, and I was very crafty.

The need for devices that keep marijuana out of the hands of children will continue to grow across America. A company called StashLogix is trying to fill the void with their cannabis storage and security cases. People can hide their stash, but unless its in something that locks, once it’s found it’s gone. It could be in the hands of kids, or just a shady character that’s trying to jack your stuff. Either way, having a barrier in the form of a lock is an important safeguard.

StashLogix has designed a product they call the Eco Stash. The first thing about the product that I’m sure people notice is that it has a combination lock. The Eco Stash provides the same security as a small safe, but it’s much easier to carry around. Having a mobile setup is a must in this day and age. The outside of the bag is made from hemp, and the inside of the bag looks like it includes a built in rolling tray, and adjustable compartments.

The inventors at StashLogix are trying to get their fantastic idea off the ground with a crowd funding campaign. If you want to help some hardworking people achieve their dreams, and help make stashes safe across the country and beyond, I urge you to make a donation to their effort (which can be done at this link here). And if you can’t donate, share their crowdfunding page on social media to help spread the word. Below is more information, via their crowdfunding page:

StashLogix patent-pending cases incorporate the first integrated combination lock for cannabis products. The cannabis industry’s “wild wild west” opportunity is spreading across the land, but safety has been left in the dust. StashLogix cases provide the tools we need to be responsible and safe.

Tens of thousands of prisoners across the state of Massachusetts who were convicted as a result of drug tests overseen by one state scientist may soon challenge these convictions in court.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Judicial Court handed down a unanimous verdict that will allow individuals who were sent to prison based on evidence provided by state chemist Annie Dookhan to petition the courts for a new hearing without risking additional or more severe penalties. Dookhan admitted to tampering with and forging evidence that sabotaged a number of cases.

“It clears a path for people to challenge—when I say people, I say thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people—to challenge their convictions without fear that prosecutors will respond by seeking to revive harsher charges or harsher sentences that were relinquished in a plea bargain,” Matthew Segal, the legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, told The New York Times.

It is suspected that Dookhan, who pleaded guilty in 2013 to a myriad of charges, including obstruction of justice, perjury and tampering with evidence, failed to give drug samples the appropriate testing before sending positive confirmation to prosecutors. For nearly a decade, Dookhan is believed to have corrupted the criminal justice system by falsifying signatures, mishandling samples and lying about her qualifications.